by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Nov 07/97) - Inuvik's diverse population remains the largest obstacle to self-government negotiations, according to one self-government negotiator.

"If it wasn't for Inuvik, (self-government) would probably move a lot faster to achieving the goal," said Aklavik Mayor Charlie Furlong last week, during the Beaufort-Delta leaders' conference in Inuvik.

A public form of self-government -- linking non-aboriginals and aboriginals alike under a unified banner -- is preferred by the federal and territorial governments. Residents of the region as a whole also preferred the system by a two-to-one margin over a strictly aboriginal form of self-government.

But how a public system will represent the region's diverse cultures remains a vexing question. Like the current constitutional wranglings, last week's meeting on self-government raised the usual questions: how many votes do non-aboriginals get? Will the system offer equity for all?

Current ideas suggested by negotiators of self-government call for a public system that links hamlet and land claim concerns under a united council. Leaders in both camps, including Mayor George Roach and Gwich'in Tribal Council president Richard Nerysoo, have questioned whether such a plan is workable.

"A collective approach to exercising certain governing authorities on a collective basis," may not satisfy the inherent right, said Nerysoo. Offering the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit shared -- not complete -- control over their own political affairs may prove unacceptable, he said.

Self-government "is for the aboriginal people to express what they believe," said Furlong. "(The aboriginal people) come No. 1." The question, he said, is not how aboriginal people fit into the process, but "how other governments are going to work with us."

Some non-aboriginals are also unhappy with the direction of current negotiations. One plan under the unified council is to "split the vote," so that aboriginals will be able to vote for either the public or aboriginal organization candidates, while non-aboriginals will only be able to vote for public candidates.

Roach questioned why, as a non-aboriginal, he couldn't vote for somebody like Nellie Cournoyea, if she were to run as an aboriginal organization candidate. Other questions from the public followed the same vein.

"None of this is perfect," admitted federal negotiator John Bailey. "But we have to find the balance between the inherent right and (the interests of) non-aboriginals."

That balance is proving to be a major sticking point among both groups.

"The concern I have for the process is that we're not at the lower end of the scale," said Nerysoo. "There is no major advantage to (a public system) if we find it impossible to create that relationship."

Chief negotiator Bob Simpson expressed concern with the comments. "I need to know what the opinion of the people to this is," said Simpson. "Nobody's told me yet."